[Peterx05]

hi there,

i have a dsl us robotics router model 8001.
it disconnects me from the net many times a day so that i have to pull the plug to get it working again! the one before that one didn't work (or at least that's what i thought (because pulling the plug 10-12 times a day to get that thing working again doesn't exactly sound right to me, knowing i only bought it 2 months ago!!!) but now that i have it exchanged all my hopes are out the window now that the same game starts all over agian. i need some help here please
i'm grateful as ever for any piece of advice! maybe it's just a llittle adjustment that needs to be done? i don't know

thanx !

[StumpedTechy]

Do you get the same disconnection if the PC is connected directly without the router?

[Peterx05]

nope

[TerryNet]

What "WAN type" is your dsl connection?

For that type is there any option for disconnecting after a period of time? Or after a length of idle time?

[Peterx05]

i wouldn't say that there is a connection timeout. max idle time says 300 seconds but it's always working longer than that.
the wan type is PPP over Ethernet.

[TerryNet]

Since it's so easy to do, how about disabling that possible disconnection by changing the max idle time to zero.

Your answer to StumpedTechy pretty much eliminates your computer and the modem and one ethernet cable from the suspect list. That leaves another ethernet cable and the router itself as suspects. Can you verify that the second cable is good, maybe by using it between modem and computer?

Are there any other devices on the network, like other computers or wireless access point or switch? Are you using the USB print server? If so, have you tested the connection with no USB cable attached to the router?

[Peterx05]

that's funny! i just put a 0 in the "max idle time" and rebooted the router, but it put the 300 seconds back on its own. that's strange.

the cable is fine, i exchanged it and the result was the same - the router dropped out after a certain time.

there are other computers on the network, but no wireless ones.
the problem existed with my computer being the only one conncted to the router before the others had access.

i'm not using the usb print server, or at least that's what i'm thinking. (maybe there is a tick somewhere that i didn't see?) didn't connect the print server with my computer.

what's really baking my noodle is that this is the second router. i exchanged it last week, because i thought the first one was broken, but the problem remained the same. so i'm kind of embarrassed, because i don't think that all us robotics routers can be in such a bad state, that they simply don't work, so what the heck?
so i'm guessing that it's either something in the router software that needs to be adjusted or i need to get another product alltogether.
there's gotta be something i can do to stop this annoying quirk about the router!

i'm looking forward to any piece of advice

[Peterx05]

oh, there's something else! the guy from the us robotics hotline asked me if i had eMule on my computer, but there are no downloading programmes running or even available

[TerryNet]

"... i just put a 0 in the "max idle time" and rebooted the router ..."

Sorry, but I gotta ask a stupid question--did you click on "Save" before restarting the router? If you did, I'd be concerned about that value changing back. Might be worth asking the Robotics folks.


"i'm not using the usb print server, or at least that's what i'm thinking."

I would assume that to use it you would need to attach a printer to the router's USB port.

I won't abandon this thread, but I'm currently out of ideas (even dumb ones).
Terry

[Peterx05]

jip, i saved it! i just didn't write that down, sorry

ok then, there's no cable attatched to the router or a printer. i should've known that myself.

do you assume that the product isn't functioning properly? do you know anyone else who could help?

Pete

[TerryNet]

"do you assume that the product isn't functioning properly? do you know anyone else who could help?"

Yes. No--except maybe US Robotics or your ISP. If anyone else on this forum has ideas I'm sure they will chime in.

I think you have been thorough in eliminating computer, modem and cables as causes of the disconnects.

In my mind the problem has to be in the router, or a router incompatibility with your particular ISP. Not very likely to be a hardware problem since it happened with two routers.

OK--just thought of more to try (must have been something I had for lunch.). Go to the Robotics web site, look for any FAQs or TroubleShooting or Known Problem lists they may have, and in particular look for a firmware update. If there is one, of course download and install it.

Secondly, see if they say anthing about that idle time parameter, and then contact their tech support (email? call?) and ask about it not staying at zero.

Thirdly contact your ISP tech support and ask if they have had any other problems with that (or similar) router, and if they can help you verify that you have all the WAN connection settings correct.

Fourthly, can you get a refund for that router and try your luck with another brand?

Terry

[Peterx05]

wow! have more lunch! thank you so much for your help! the router did it again, two minutes ago *grrr
the (only) guy at the hotline told me to do the firm ware update and that didn't do the trick either hm. i'll try each one of your ideas and get back to you.

i'd enjoy a coffee after lunch to keep me from falling asleep. i'd get you one even, but by the time it gets to your place it'll have lost any kind of taste ... cause i'm at least 6 flight hours (so to speak) away from you. anyway ... speak to you soon

[Peterx05]

hi there again,

i wrote the guys at the email support of us robotics and what they're basically suggesting is to check if all the wires as well as the electricity supply are attatched properly. i can't ping the router either if it's not working which is what they also suggested. (how could i do that anyway if i have no connection to the router???)

i just had an idea! would a system log maybe tell you details? i copied the one from just now. when i tried to go online this morning, i realized that i couldn't, because the router dropped out again.

so, how about that??

[TerryNet]

Tech support is always going to start with the basics, just as we do, or should do. The challange is to get them to understand the trouble shooting that has already been done, and to move beyond that.

"i can't ping the router either if it's not working which is what they also suggested. (how could i do that anyway if i have no connection to the router???)"

First time you mentioned this; thought the problem was the router dropping the WAN (Internet) connection. Or is it dropping both WAN and LAN (computers)?

The system log may tell you something if the computer is deciding to drop the connection. Does the router have a log, and does it give any clues?

[Peterx05]

my room mate says it's dropping the LAN connection,

but i can't read those logs. all i see in these logs is when the connection was dropped. is it best to send one so you can take a look?